Registries differences

[Michael Dillon]

On Tue, 29 Apr 1997, Jim Fleming wrote:

> Why aren't any small companies represented ?

Randy Bush's company isn't that big. In fact Network Solutions really
isn't that big of a company. Of course the real answer to this question is
that small companies are represented in the membership of ARIN and small
companies will therefore be electing the ARIN Advisory Council.

> Why is it always the same people ?

Raymundo Vega is a new name to most people on this list. And I don't think
most people other than the larger network operators would have heard of
John Curran either. But again, the real answer is "same people as what?".
These people are reasonably well-known within the community of network
operators which is as it should be, because the network operators are the
ones who use IP addresses and who will make up the membership of ARIN. 
Note that "network operators" includes the people who run corporate and
educational networks as well as ISPs.

> Why can't ARIN be built from the grass roots ?

I've been working with various people for the past two years trying to
build up an ISP trade association from the grassroots. Let's just say that
building a grassroots organization is like growing grass in the Sahara
desert. It's not easy, often seems to be impossible, and once the first
results start to show themselves it greatly enhances the surroundings.
But that's no way to deal with important infrastructure activities.
This is why ARIN starts from a base of people who are well-known and
trusted within the community of network operators at the center and then
builds outwards by making it possible for all network operators to join
and participate in ARIN.

Michael Dillon                   -               Internet & ISP Consulting
Memra Software Inc.              -                  Fax: +1-250-546-3049
http://www.memra.com             -               E-mail: michael at memra.com